Northeast Platform

IMPHAL, March 17: The 4-lawyer “fact finding team on the working of the ceasefire in Naga areas” in its 10-page executive summary of its findings, concludes on page-3, perhaps a little hastily, that a particular official document clearly states the Shirui camp of the NSCN(IM) was officially approved, backing up this conclusion with the following line from a letter which says the “new location of the NSCN(IM) camp stands approved.” The above parenthesised line quoted by the report is from a letter (No. CFMG/IM/2007-1566 dated February 6, 2007) but the entirety of sentence which gives it a rather different hue is omitted. A photocopy of the letter is attached as Annexure-A in the executive summary. The letter does have a line (or part of a line) which says the “new location of the NSCN(IM) camp stands approved,” but this does not at all appear to be an official order or notification. On the other hand, this seems to be what the former Ceasefire Monitoring Group chairman, Lt. Gen. R.V. K...

UKHRUL, Mar 9: Many were rendered homeless as a ravaging fire broke out at 12.20 pm this evening at Ukhrul town’s Wino bazar, destroying properties worth crores of rupees. At least six civilians were injured and two of them were taken to the district hospital with minor injuries, while the other four were treated at a private clinic. A young 13-year old girl received after-shocks and was also rushed to the hospital.The whole town was engulfed in smoke as flames soaring up to 50 metres high continued to raze one house after another in this thickly populated posh locality. By the time the fire brigade arrived on the spot at around 12.45 pm, the fire was beyond control. Assisted by the strong wind, it started eating shop after shop within minutes. Roars of cylinder blasts were heard all over and all vehicular movement came to a grinding halt as the inferno started spreading to the wooden buildings across. The Assam Rifles swiftly pitched in their firefighters from the northern direction ...

Dimapur, February 21 (MExN): Nagaland Home Minister, Imkong L Imchen today said that the issue of women’s reservation is a frontline agenda of the DAN government. However, women have to struggle for their rights.Speaking as the chief guest at the Silver Jubilee celebration of the Watsu Telongjem Dimapur (Ao Union Dimapur), the state Home Minister exhorted the womenfolk that in order to obtain their rights they should struggle for it courageously and preserver for it. Identifying women emancipation, liberty and women’s rights as a very lively and burning issue, Imchen lamented that the Watsu Mungdang (apex Ao women organisation) could not raise its voice when the issue of women reservation cropped up in the Mokokchung Municipal Council last year, and said that the Watsu Mungdang could not say anything out of fear. He also said that when the men folk in Mokokchung town resisted the 33 percent reservation of seats in the Mokokchung Municipal Council, the presence of Watsu Mungdang, and ...

DIMAPUR: Home Minister Imkong L Imchen today articulated his solidarity with Naga women on 33 % reservation as the tug of war over the issue remains irresolute till date. Speaking as chief guest at the Silver Jubilee celebration of the Dimapur Watsu Telongjem at IMC, he, however, questioned why there had been no protest from any of the different women organisations when the civic polls at Mokokchung was boycotted last year by their male counterparts as a sign of protest against the amendment. He observed that there had been no women organisation voicing against the boycott at that time. “So it was thought women didn’t want reservation,” he maintained. The HM also felt that the biggest questions that need to be deliberated among the women are whether they are actually prepared to accept the reservation, whether they can take it forward in case of its amendment and whether they are prepared to shoulder the consequences. Exhorting that women would have to fight to own their rights, he sa...

DIMAPUR FEB 21: The Watsu Telongjem Dimapur today celebrated its 25 years of existence since its establishment under the theme ‘Forward Together’ at IMC hall with Home Minister Imkong L Imchen as the chief guest. Addressing the women folks on the occasion, Imkong exhorted on the importance of family values, its immersion into the foundation of all human society and women as its structural influence. The structure of the family is the structure of all society, he stated while pointing out that every thing starts and ends in a family even the government. Stressing on the basic link of family, women and the issues confronting them, he said women need to fight for their own rights so that their cause can be achieved. The chief guest while congratulating the Watsu Telongejm on the attainment of 25 years since its inception said this celebration is another success story for the organization. Earlier, the chief guest released the Silver Jubilee souvenir book. Speaking on the theme ‘Forward ...

KOHIMA, FEB 21: The Naga convention for reconciliation and peace, which got underway today under the theme ‘Let my People Go’, underscored the need for inclusive unity amongst all Naga underground groups as well as he public without which there can be no common hope and future. Nagas should reorganise and forge ahead as one, as division and factionalism has broken the spirit of Naga unity, said Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) general secretary Rev Zhabu Terhüja, delivering the keynote address on the inaugural day at Kohima local ground (Khouchiezie), and rued that so many Nagas have died in the last ten years while querying who had been killed by whom and to what destination this was leading. This should serve as a lesson for all, he said. Furthermore, he said the various underground groups ‘claim to have got many revelations from God, but they seem to have separate revelations and therefore fight one another.’ Even our legislators also know how to pull down each other instead ...

Kohima February 21 : The two-day Naga Convention for Reconciliation and Peace commenced today at Kohima local ground with General Secretary of Nagaland Baptist Church Council Rev. Zhabu Terhuja saying that the time has come for the suffering Naga people to enter a new dawn through the gate of reconciliation.The convention is on way under the aegis of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation and with the theme ‘Let My People Go’. Dwelling on the theme ‘Let my people go’ in the context of the Naga people and their struggle, Terhuja in his keynote address said “everything is not well, but everything is not lost”. The Nagas can rebuild their future if they hold on to this aspiration, the church leader said.“Time has come for Nagas to enter a new dawn and reconciliation is the gate to that future,” he told the gathering. The gathering comprised of hundreds of Naga people from all walks of life and almost all Naga-inhabited regions.He said the only way out for Nagas is to reason and dialogue toge...